Properties of shapes
HERE’S THE MATHS
Your child is learning to recognise, describe and build simple 3-D shapes, including
making nets. A net is a 2-D pattern of faces that you can cut and fold to make a model
of a solid shape. Small tabs are often added in order to glue the shapes together.
cuboid
square-based pyramid
Year 6
Maths
Newsletter 1
Date: ______________________
Name: ______________________
MATHS TOPICS
ACTIVITY
What to do
 Set the timer to 5 minutes.
 Each person draws as many different nets for a
cube as possible.
 When the time is up, swap papers and check
each other’s nets.
 The winner is the person with the greater
number of correct nets.
 If you cannot be certain of a particular net, cut it
out and try it! There are 11 different nets in total.
You will need:
 2 small square shapes to
use to draw around, e.g.
block of square sticky
notes
 pencil and paper
 timer (or phone with timer)
Variation
 Draw two different nets for a cube. Put dice dots on the faces so that opposite sides
add up to seven as on a real dice. Cut and fold the nets to check they are correct.
These are the maths topics your child will be working on during the next three
weeks:
 Number and place value
 Addition and subtraction
 Properties of shapes
KEY MATHEMATICAL IDEAS
During these three weeks your child will be learning to:
 read, write, order and compare numbers to 10 000 000 and round any number
to a required degree of accuracy
 add and subtract mentally, including with large numbers and decimals
 recognise, describe and build simple 3-D shapes, including making nets.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Can you explain the
meaning of ‘net’?
Which 3-D shape has a net with two triangular
and three rectangular faces? (triangular prism)
TIPS FOR GOOD HOMEWORK HABITS
Describe the net of a squarebased pyramid. (4 triangles joined
by a side to a central square)
The net of a 3-D shape is made
up of six 2-D shapes. What could it be?
(cube, cuboid, pentagonal pyramid)
Plan a homework timetable and agree a time when your child will do their
homework.
Which 3-D shapes have nets composed of triangles
only? (tetrahedron, octagon, icosahedron)
4
1
Number and place value
HERE’S THE MATHS
Addition and subtraction
HERE’S THE MATHS
Your child is learning to read, write, order and compare numbers to 10 000 000.
They are also consolidating their understanding of rounding numbers to a required
degree of accuracy. The rule for rounding to the nearest 10 (100, 1000, 10 000 and
so on) is that 5 (50, 500, 5000 and so on) or greater is rounded up and 4 or fewer
(49, 499, 4999 and so on) is rounded down.
Your child is practising mental subtraction, including with large numbers and decimals.
Subtracting from a 7-digit number involves a secure understanding of place value. It can
be helpful to write the number to be subtracted in the correct position beneath 1 000 000
to ‘see’ the answer.
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY
What to do
 Each person has a set of 0–9 cards.
 Lay out 7 cards.
 Use the cards to make the largest 7-digit number possible.
 Read your numbers to one another.
 The person with the larger number scores a point.
 Shuffle the cards and repeat.
 The winner is the first person to reach a score of 5.
You will need:
 2 sets of 0–9
digit cards from
a pack of playing
cards (use Jacks
to represent
zero)
Variation
 Play the same game but make the smallest number.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
How is zero used as a
placeholder? (Zeros keep the
digits in the correct places.)
What happens to digits when
you divide by 1000? (The digits
move one place to the right.)
What is the 2 worth in these numbers:
1 256 789? (two hundred thousand:
200 000)
1 567 234? (two hundred: 200)
1 426 000? (twenty thousand: 20 000)
50
2
2000
100 000
40
14 000
4000
18 000
300
500 000
6
10 000
100
900 000
70
4
8000
16 000
200 000
9000
600 000
80
7
12 000
20
9
11 000
7000
1
300 000
What to do
 Take turns to choose a number on the grid.
 The first person subtracts their chosen number from
1 000 000.
 Use a number line or jottings if necessary.
 The second person checks the calculation, mentally. If they
disagree, use a calculator to check.
 If the answer is correct, cover the number; if it’s incorrect,
leave it uncovered.
 Swap roles. Each time subtract from a million.
 Play for 10 minutes or until the grid is complete.
 The winner has the greater number of counters.
15 000
600
400 000
3000
700 000
90
You will need:
 calculator
 buttons or
counters in two
colours
Variation
 Include a row of decimal numbers, e.g.
0 .6
Which digits change when you add
1 to 999 999? Why?
(All of them, because adding one more
to each nine changes the value to 10.)
0.04
0 .2
0 .9
0.03
QUESTIONS TO ASK
How many zeros
does a million have?
What is four less
than four million?
What is 67.5 − 37.8?
What has been
subtracted from 5 612
345 to leave 4 712 345?
What is 246 246 −
570 (5 700, 57 000)?
2
0.009
3